Actuating means for rail lubricating pumps



Feb. 21, 1950 s. E. BATES ACTUATING MEANS FOR RAIL LUBRICATING PUMPS Filed Jan. 30, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 i 1 INVENTOR.

' EBates BY j v Eli Er Feb. 21, 1950 s. E. BATES ACTUATING MEANS FOR RAIL LUBRICATING PUMPS Filed Jan. 30, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I MY I g L INVENTOR Feb. 21, 1950 s. E. BATES 2,498,519

ACTUATING' MEANS FOR RAIL LUBRICATING PUMPS Filed Jan. 30, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

Patented Feb. 21, 1950 U N l TIE-D S TA EJS JATE 'NT F F I'CE ACTUA'IING MEANS .FOR'.'RAIL LUBRICATING PUMPS Application January 30, 1-948, Serial No. 5,297

d'Claims. 1

This invention relates to track lubricators and has particular reference to improvements inactuating means for the pumps thereof.

More particularly, the present actuating means is of the type which comprises atwo-arm lever mounted upon'a rail to move vertically therewith, a fixed support sustaining one of the'arms of the lever against downward movement whereby downward movement of the rail and the lever relative to said support results in the lever being rocked in one direction, spring means effective to rock the lever in the opposite direction upon upward movement of the rail relative to said support, and a ratchet connection between said lever and a pump shaft whereby rocking of'said lever produces intermittent rotation of the pumpshaft in a single direction to cause'the pump-to be operated intermittently to deliver lubricant "from a reservoir to-a rail to be lubricated.

In a pump actuating means of the "type mentioned the pump usually is mounted in or upon the lubricant reservoir which usually is-buried in the ground adjacent to the track. Due-to settling or other causes, the lubricant reservoir may I change its position relative to the track, or the track may shift or otherwise change its position relative to the lubricant-reservoir. Inan event, to maintain an operative connecti'on between the pump operating lever and the pump, regardless v oral-ranges in position which may occur between the lubricant reservoir and the track, the connection between the lever and the pump includes splined, telescoped shaft sections and universal joints. and the universal joints may wearand cause lost motion which it is essential to take up to insure a constant amount of operation of the pump for each rocking movement of the pump actuating lever.

Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is to combine the spring which rocks the lever in one direction with theratchet by which rocking motion of the lever is transmitted to the pump shaft, and to locate said spring and ratchet relatively remote from the rail so that they act to take up any lost motion which may develop in the relatively long line of shaiting including telescoped shaft sections and the universal joints, whereby the amountoi operation of the pump'for each rocking movement of the lever will remain constant despite any lost motion which may develop due to wearror other causes between the elements connecting-the lever with the pump.

in time the said telescoped shaft-sections A further object is to locate the ratchet at a 2 IJOlHtTGmOlIBIfITOm the rail position so as to remove it from the zone of shocks and jars incl dent to traffic, and furthermore, to locate the parts which :aresubjectedtothe greatest wear -in a place where they are readily accessible for repair; adjustment, and-inspection.

Withthe foregoing and other objects in view, which will become more fully apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in a pump actuating means embodying the novel features of construction, conibin'a'tionxand arrangement of parts as are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, andas will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding partsin the diiferent views:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of aiportion of a railway track having 'operativelyassociated therewith one practical 'form of the present pump operating means.

Fig. 2 is a transversessection'throughthe structureshown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 isan enlargedside' elevationxof the railcarried housing with its cover plate removed to show the ,parts containedtherein.

Fig. 41s 'a sectionon the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectionon the line 5-'5 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 illustrating a ratchetor clutchimechanism of alternative form.

Referring to the drawings in detail, l0 designatesza railway tie, M designatesa tie plate superimposed thereon, l-fi designates a rail superimposed upon said tie plate, and I3 designates. a lubricant reservoir sunk into the ground at a suitable location and containing a 'pump 14 foreffecting'deliveryof lubricant therefrom to a suitable distributor (not shown) which is understood tuber-mounted. upon the rail 12', or upon another rail, "in accordance withknown practice, to deliver the lubricant at points to be picked up by the flanges of locomotive and car wheels and distributed by the latter along the gage side of the head :of the rail.

The pump M may be of any. suitable type and includesa rotarydriveshaft l5 which is operated by the means constituting the present invention.

vThem'eans constituting the present invention comprises'an elongated, narrow-width housing if-5 which is provided at its inner side'with a jaw formationv :ll' to receive a base flange- H.- of the rail 1:2. and with suitable clamp means 19 for drawing :it toward and into rigid assembly with the-rail whereby it is cons'tra-ined-to move vertrnions 2! which may be journaled in suitable bearings in the inner and the outer side walls of the housing It, the outer side wall of said housing being comprised, for example, by a cover plate 22 which is removable to afford access to said hous- The pivot of the lever 2B is adjacent to one end of said lever whereby the two arms 23 and 24 of the latter are long and short, respectively.

. Between the short arm 24 of said lever and a fixed support, afiorded in thepresent instance by the tie plate I l is interposed a rod 25. Consequently, downward movement of the rail, the housing l6 and the lever 20, relative to the support 2 l causes said lever to be rocked in one direction, namely, a direction in which the longer arm 23 thereof swings downwardly. Conversely, upward movement of the rail relative to said fixed support permits rocking of said lever in the opposite direction.

Extending transversely of the housing I6 below the free end portion of the longer arm 23 of the lever 23 and mounted for rotation in suitable bearings in the inner and the outer side walls of said housing, is a horizontal shaft 26 from which extends a crank arm 21 to which the said longer arm 23 of said lever 20 is' connected by a link or links 28. Thus, the shaft 26 is rocked in response to rocking movements of the lever 20.

At a side of the lubricant reservoir I3 is a chamber 29 in the upper part of which are journaled two alined shafts 30 and 3! and into the lower part of which extends the pump shaft I5. On the shafts 3i and R are sprocket Wheels 32 and 33, respectively, which are connected together by a sprocket chain 3%, whereby a driving connection is provided between the shaft 3! and the pump l4, while connecting togetherthe shafts 28 and 3D is an intermediate shaft 35.

The intermediate shaft 35 is composed of a pair of telescoped, splined sections 35 and 35* respectively, which are connected with the shafts 35 and 39 by universal joints 35 and 3'8, respectively. Thus, even though the distance between the shafts 26 and 3!} may change for any reason as, for example, because of shifting of the track or of the lubricant reservoir, or, if for any reason the shafts 26 and 30 may become more or less disalined, the operative driving connection between said shafts 26 and 30 will be maintained.

Suitably fixed to the shaft 30 is an arm 38, while suitably fixed to the shaft 3| is a ratchet wheel 39 with which cooperates a pawl ll) that is carried by the arm 38. Thus, each time the lever 20 is rocked, an increment of rotation is imparted to the shaft 3!. In this connection, the arrangement of the arm 38, the pawl 48 and the teeth of the ratchet wheel 39 is such that the shaft 3! is rotated positively in response to the rocking movement imparted to the lever 20 by downward 1 movement of the rail l2 relative to the fixed support H and remains idle during reverse rocking movement of. said lever when the rail moves upwardly relative to said fixed support. A holding pawl 4| also cooperates with the ratchet wheel 39 to prevent any return rotation of the shaft 3! following its rotation by the arm 33 and the pawl 40.

Between the arm 38 and a suitable fixed abutment d2, which may be carried by a wall of the chamber 29, is a spring 43 which acts through said arm to tend constantly to rotate the shaft 30 in a direction counter to the direction in which it is rotated by downward movement of the rail l2. Consequently, each time the rail moves upwardly, the spring &3 acts to lift the arm 38 and to rotate the shafts 35 and 28 in directions to elevate the long arm 23 and to depress the short arm 2 of the lever 20.

Because of the ratchet arm 38 and its associated spring -43 being disposed to act through the sections 35 and 35 of the shaft 35, and through the universal joints 35 and 3?, to rock the lever 20 in a direction counter to the direction in which it is rocked by downward movement of the rail l2, it is manifest that said shaft sections 35 and 35 and said universal joints will constantly be sub jected to torsional stresses in directions counter to the directions in which torsional stresses are set up in the same by downward movement of the rail 52. Therefore, despite any wear which may develop between the shaft sections 35* and 35 and in the universal joints 36 and 31, there will always be maintained a wear-compensating relationship in the connections between the shaft 26 and the shaft 30, as well as between the lever 20 and the link 28; so that the amount of operation of the pump it will be the same each time the rail 12 is depressed.

An adjustable stop screw 44 may be threaded in the top wall of the housing if; to limit rocking movement of the lever 20 by the spring 43,

while in the shorter arm 24 of said lever 29 may be threaded a screw 2-5 to serve as an adjustable abutment for the upper end of the rod 25. The adjustments afforded by thescrew M and t5 enable the amplitude of rocking movement of the lever 21! to be regulated regardless of the amplitude of relative vertical movement between any particular rail and the tie plate or other fixed element H.

Summarizing, it will be apparent that as the wheels of rolling stock pass over the rail ii! and produce relative vertical movement between the tie plate H and that portion of the rail which carries the housing If; and the lever 2!), said lever will be rocked and for each rocking movement of the same an increment of rotation will be imparted to the pump M with the result that a small amount of lubricant will be delivered by the latter.

Fig. 6 of the drawings illustrates that, if desired, a one-way clutch of the ball or roller type may be employed in lieu of the pawl and ratchet mechanism shown in Fig. 5. In other words, in Fig. 6 a drum 3% corresponds to the ratchet arm 33 of Fig. 5; a disc 39 provided with chordal faces 55 corresponds to the ratchet wheel 39 of Fig. 5,'and rolling bodies 10* between the drum 38 and the chord-a1 faces 46 of the disc 39 correspond to the pawl 46 of Fig. 5, all as is well known in the clutch art.

Preferably, but not necessarily, a suitable spring E is provided to urge the rod 26 constantly upwardly and thus maintain its upper end engaged with the adjusting screw 29, thus to avoid rattling of said rod in the event the distance between the lower end of said screw 29 and thetop of the tie plate should at any time exceed the length of said rod. The spring 41 may be a, coil spring surrounding the rod 26 and reacting from the bottom of the housing l6 upwardly against a shoulder 48 on said rod.

Without further description, it is thought that the construction and operation of the present pump actuating means will be clearly understood and its advantages appreciated. It is desired to point out, however, that the structure illustrated is capable of modificationsin various different respects within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim: I

l. Actuating means for a device to be operated, said means comprising a lever, means mounting said lever upon a railway rail for vertical movement therewith, means whereby downwardmovement of the rail rocks said lever in one direction, a shaft mounted on the rail, a crank arm on said shaft, a connection between said lever and said crank arm whereby said shaft is rocked responsive to rocking of said lever by downward movement of the rail, a second shaft, a third shaft connected at one end by a universal joint to said first mentioned shaft and at its other end by a universal joint to said second shaft, a shaft to be driven, a driving ratchet element fixed to said second shaft, a driven ratchet element fixed to said shaft to be driven, and a spring acting through said driving ratchet element and said second and third and said first mentioned shafts and said universal joints to rock said lever in the opposite direction upon upward movement of the rail and to maintain torque in said second and third and said first mentioned shafts and said universal joints.

2. In a track lubricator including rotary motion transmitting shafting including universal joints and splined sections extending from the rail position to a housing portion of the lubricant reservoir located relatively remote from the rail position; a device carried by the rail and including a pivoted lever, a tie plate contacting member engaging one end of said lever, link and crank means connecting the other end of said lever with the end of said shafting near the rail whereby relative movement between the rail and the tie plate will cause said lever to rock and impart intermittent rotary movement to said shafting, a driven shaft mounted in the housing portion of the lubricant reservoir and operatively connected with the pump, and clutch means between the driven shaft and the motion transmitting shafting, said clutch means including a radial arm rigid with said motion transmitting shafting and a spring engaging said arm for constantly maintaining the motion transmitting shafting under torsional stress to take up play in said shafting and lever.

3. Actuating means for a device to be operated, said means comprising a lever mounted upon a railway rail for vertical movement therewith and for rocking movement relative thereto, means whereby downward movement of the rail rocks said lever in one direction, a shaft mounted on the rail, a crank arm on said shaft connected to said lever so that said shaft is rocked by downward movement of the rail, a second shaft, a driving connection between said shafts, a shaft to be driven, a driving ratchet element fixed to said second shaft, a driven ratchet element fixed to said shaft to be driven, and a spring acting through said driving ratchet element and said first and second shafts and the connection between the latter to rock said lever in the opposite direction upon upward movement of the rail and to maintain torque in said first and second shafts and the connection therebetween.

4. Actuating means for a device to be operated, said means comprising a lever mounted on a railway rail for vertical movements therewith and for rocking movements relative thereto, means whereby downward movement of the rail rocks said lever in one direction, a shaft mounted on the rail, a connection between said shaft and said lever so that said shaft is rocked by downward movement of the rail, a second shaft, a driving connection between said shafts, a shaft to be driven, a driving ratchet element fixed to said second shaft, a driven ratchet element fixed to said shaft to be driven, and a spring acting through said driving ratchet element and said first and second shafts and the connection between the latter to rock said lever in the opposite direction upon upward movement of the rail and to maintain torque in said first and second shafts and the connection therebetween.

SIDNEY E. BATES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,183,727 Stern Dec. 19, 1939 2,185,810 Heidenthal Jan. 2, 1940 2,229,111 Mennie Jan. 21, 1941 2,349,259 Fuller May 23, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 22,632 Great Britain Oct. 24, 1908 

